Car Review: 2005 Saab 9-2X

By Robert Bostelaar, Canwest News Service

Originally published: August 10, 2011

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SAINTE-ADELE, Que. – As strange as Saab and Subaru may seem as corporate bedfellows, for Canadians, any product of their union is bound to have one attraction.

Traction.

Sweden’s Saab, with its forever adherence to front-wheel-drive, and Japan’s Subaru, with its rally-tested all-wheel-drive, are the car world’s gurus of grip. Their expertise has earned both companies fans across the snowy parts of Canada (i.e. pretty much all of it).

So the Saab 9-2X, an upgraded and Saab-itized version of Subaru’s Impreza wagon that arrives next month, will make sense here, especially come January.

The pairing also makes sense for General Motors, which parlays ownership of Saab and a 20-per-cent slice of Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries into a needed Saab entry model, and an early presence in an emerging “premium compact” segment that will include the BMW 1-Series, Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class.

The new Saabs carry higher prices than their Japanese counterparts: $28,950 to start for the 9-2X Linear versus $22,995 for a base Impreza 2.5TS wagon, and $37,735 for the turbocharged 9-2X Aero versus $35,495 for an Impreza WRX. GM, however, is confident the Saab name, additional standard features and different chassis tuning will draw higher-bracket buyers.

Certainly, the 9-2X models previewed by auto writers here last week felt far more buttoned-down than the Impreza, which is known for its long suspension travel and busy body movement. Quieter, too, due to additional sound deadening materials in the cabin.

The interior also benefits from upgraded materials, ranging from softer plastic surfaces to light-coloured inserts in the door panels and a one-piece centre console that sweeps up into the dash. But how un-Saab-like: the ignition is on the instrument panel, not on the console between the seats.

Both 9-2X models have full-time all-wheel-drive and such expected features as CD player, air conditioning and remote entry. The Aero adds 17-inch wheels, climate control, heated seats and mirrors, sunroof and six-CD changer. Options include a four-speed automatic transmission (both models come with a five-speed manual), and leather seats and door inserts.

The 9-2X remains Subaru-ish is in its nimble handling, aided by independent rear suspension and the flat-four engines that lower the centre of gravity. The Linear gets the 2.5-litre four-cylinder rated at 165 horsepower, while the Aero, like the WRX, has the 227-h.p., 2.0-litre turbo engine that provides ample snap when the turbocharger kicks in at about 3,000 r.p.m.

Despite a traditional Saab grille with three air inlets and wrap-around headlamps, the look is all-Subaru from the windshield back. Still, the swept-forward C-pillars and wrap-around rear glass mimic design features in the 9-5 wagon, and could have been drawn from the Saab styling handback.

There’s more Saab-Subaru serendipity. Both place a big emphasis on safety, both have concentrated more on engineering than design (at least until lately), and both have long appealed to individualist buyers seeking something different from their neighbours.

It’s a good fit, and should help the 9-2X sell against the premium compacts that are expected to arrive in North America. Its most formidable competitor, however, is already here — the much improved S40/V40 from Swedish rival Volvo that itself is a close cousin to Japan’s Mazda3.

Cross-pollination at Saab, meantime, is also evident in the new 9-3, built on the Epsilon architecture shared by Opel and the Chevrolet Malibu, and in next year’s 9-7X sport-utility that is based on the Chevy TrailBlazer.

While Saab loyalists may complain about an erosion of the brand’s character, GM says it can retain Saab’s distinctiveness while increasing sales. And it says the strategy is paying off.

“Saab’s numbers continue to grow in Canada,” says Saturn Saab director Dave McCall. “While we’re a niche product and a little quirky in some respects, it seems to grow every day.”